Skip to Content

Make smart financial decisions with DailyFinance
AOL Tech

IpodAccessory posts

LG's 5.1 HB954SP Blu-ray HTIB system makes room for your iPod or iPhone

by Darren Murph posted Oct 10th 2009 at 8:14AM

If you've somehow managed to hold out from joining into the HTIB revolution, the time for caving is upon you. LG has just tapped Sir Mark Levinson to engineer the acoustics behind its latest bundle, the HB954SP. Packing a 5.1-channel sound system that includes 1,000 total watts of power, a quintet of oval drivers and a ported subwoofer, the system gets direction from a BD-Live-enabled Blu-ray player that's actually a fair bit more stylish than the tried-and-true black rectangle. You'll also find a pair of HDMI inputs, an iDock function for charging and controlling your iPod / iPhone right from the BD deck, 1080p upscaling of traditional DVDs, touch sensitive controls, a USB port for loading up external media and an optical audio input. There's nary a mention of price, but it should splash down this November for a hefty premium.

Bowers & Wilkins downsizes with Zeppelin Mini iPod speaker

by Darren Murph posted Sep 14th 2009 at 3:23PM


It's been well over two years since high-end audio outfit Bowers & Wilkins introduced the iPod-lovin' Zeppelin, and evidently it's time for a downsizing. Today, the good folks over at B&W slung out the Zeppelin Mini, which promises the same dirigible-inspired sound but in a form factor that fits in a wider assortment of areas. To be honest, this version seems toned down quite a bit on the design side, with the key differentiating features being an updated docking arm and the addition of USB connectivity. Said socket enables direct PC / Mac streaming if your iPod gets lost, and it also enables your 'Pod to sync with your computer whilst playing back tunes. As for specs, you'll find a pair of 3-inch full-range drivers, 36 total watts of power, a 3.5 millimeter auxiliary jack and a bundled remote. It's expected to hit next month for £299 ($495), but you can get acquainted right now by jumping past the break and mashing play.

[Via Macworld]

Gallery: Bowers & Wilkins downsizes with Zeppelin Mini iPod speaker

Continue reading Bowers & Wilkins downsizes with Zeppelin Mini iPod speaker

Harman Kardon resets its AV receiver line with AVR 1600, 2600 and 3600 models

by Steven Kim posted Sep 9th 2009 at 1:01PM

Harman Kardon AVR 3600
The namesake brand at Harman International has introduced its new 2009 AVR lineup, making 3 out of the 4 AVRs on the company website shiny and new -- the AVR 1600, AVR 2600 and AVR 3600 (pictured, but trust us, they look almost identical). All three models are armed with lossless Blu-ray audio codec support which are now -- thankfully -- de rigeur, but the real emphasis is on connectivity and features. The living room is the new battleground, and even receivers have to fight for a place amongst the videogame consoles and set-top boxes. Taking top billing, the AVR 3600 includes second zone support and a pcked-in The Bridge III iPod/iPhone dock -- with a capital "T" and Roman numerals -- that can pull HD video right off the ubiquitous devices and put them up on the big screen. H/K put out the first receiver with Dolby Volume, and the company is standing by the feature by putting it into the 2600 and 3600 models, which also get a graphical UI in keeping with the convenience theme. Sorry, 1600 owners will have to make like everything's a foreign film and read the text. Full details and pricing after the break.

Continue reading Harman Kardon resets its AV receiver line with AVR 1600, 2600 and 3600 models

Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones

by Darren Murph posted May 11th 2009 at 2:30PM


Ready for loads of succulent new audio / video equipment that you can likely only afford in your wildest dreams? Fantastic. Today in NYC, Denon has decided to introduce a whole fleet of new kit, so we'll get right down to the nitty gritty. Oh, and we're on hand at the premiere, so expect some hands-on shots shortly.
  • DBP-2010CI ($699; shipping in July) - Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player, onboard Ethernet, BD-Live / BonusView support, DivX HD playback, support for AVCHD, Anchor Bay Technologies VRS processing, upconversion and IP scaling to 1080p/24, RS-232c support, HDMI / component / composite video outputs
  • DBP-1610CI ($499; shipping in July) - Same as above sans Anchor Bay chip and RS-232c
  • Nine new AV receivers, priced from $379 at the low-end to $1,999 at the high; shipping between May and July 2009
  • ASD-51W ($299.99) and ASD-51N ($249.99) network-enabled iPod docks, both shipping in August. Both items also allow for Rhapsody streaming, Internet Radio streaming and Napster support.
  • AH-NC600 ($199), AH-C710 ($149) and AH-C360 ($49) in-ear headphones, all of which will ship by July
Full press releases and details for each are posted just past the break, and yes, it's overwhelming.

Gallery: Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones


Gallery: Hands-on with Denon's new lineup

Continue reading Denon outs 2009 line of Blu-ray players, AV receivers and headphones

Movie Cowboy iPod media streamer goes heroic with DC branding

by Darren Murph posted Apr 24th 2009 at 9:06AM


We won't front -- our heart goes into overdrive each time Japan's own Digital Cowboy births a new product, and we're especially jazzed about its latest Movie Cowboy. Known for introducing markedly outré home entertainment gear, the company's freshest piece is an iPod-friendly HDD-based media streamer that inexplicably boasts branding from DC Comics. So far as we know, the DC-MC35ULI doesn't come loaded with a director's cut of Watchmen, but it does provide room for a single 3.5-inch hard drive along with an Ethernet jack, USB 2.0 sockets, coaxial / optical digital audio outputs, HDMI, a few composite hookups, iPod streaming and charging capabilities and support for an array of file formats. Still, for ¥24,800 ($255), we'd definitely expect some built-in storage... or the promise of eternal invisibility, one.

[Via Impress]

Gallery: Movie Cowboy iPod media streamer goes heroic with DC branding

Elgato ships 1080p-friendly Turbo.264 HD video conversion dongle

by Darren Murph posted Mar 19th 2009 at 6:11PM


Remember that brilliant Turbo.264 video conversion dongle that shipped like, two whole years ago? Yeah, it's successor has just hit the streets, and it's as ready as ever for 1080p content. The predictably titled Elgato Turbo.264 HD plugs directly into one's Mac and converts files up to 1080p (from camcorders, digital cameras, etc.) into files that are perfectly formatted for iPods, PSPs or other media players. The bundled software also lets users preview and trim video clips before converting, and it saves folks the time and hassle of importing into iMovie, learning commands, rendering and exporting. Reportedly, a video that would take an hour to convert to an iPod-friendly file takes just 15 minutes with this here dongle, and if that's worth $149.95 to you, you're one click away from brightening your own day.

[Via Electricpig]

Gallery: Elgato ships 1080p-friendly Turbo.264 HD video conversion dongle

URC's PSX2 lets any universal remote navigate on the iPod

by Darren Murph posted Jan 11th 2009 at 10:08PM


Universal Remote Control has showcased a new iPod accessory here at CES well ahead of its official debut at EHX Spring, and supposedly it'll enable any universal remote to navigate anywhere on an iPod with a single button press. The package includes an iPod dock that connects to the TV, essentially enabling users to kick back and serve up tunes and videos without needing an iPod-friendly controller. Reportedly, it even allows users to do things not originally intended on the iPod thanks to an elaborate macro setup. A few more details are included in the read link, and we get the crazy idea that this is just the thing URC needed to get into the mainstream mind.

Panasonic officially outs the iPod-lovin' VIERA X1 HDTV

by Darren Murph posted Jan 8th 2009 at 1:32AM

Panny wasn't about to let JVC unleash a new range of iPod-friendly HDTVs without hitting back with a few of its own, so that explains the four new HDTV / iPod entertainment systems. The 19-inch TC-L19X1, 26-inch TC-L26X1, 31.5-inch TC-L32X1 and the 37-inch TC-L37X1 all come bundled with a universal iPod dock that does exactly what you think it would: bring iPod-based media onto your TV while charging your PMP. Pricing and availability? Take a wild, wild guess.

Audioengine puts wires out of work with AW2 wireless iPod adapter

by Darren Murph posted Dec 8th 2008 at 8:37AM


Earlier this year, Audioengine rolled out the practically universal AW1 wireless audio adapter, and we certainly enjoyed our time with it. Now, the outfit is making the anticipated leap to iPod-dom with the sequentially named AW2. Put simply, the kit contains two main pieces: a transmitter that plugs easily into your dock-connecting 'Pod and a USB-based receiver with a 3.5-millimeter auxiliary jack. The system operates on the WiFi frequency band and promises no dropouts, static or interference from CB radios whizzing by your domicile. We should mention, however, that you'll pay quite dearly for the privilege of beaming your tunes sans cables, though it's available now for those who don't mind at $169.

[Via GadgetReview]

JVC's iPod-lovin' LT-47P789 LCD HDTV gets in-depth review

by Darren Murph posted Dec 2nd 2008 at 11:40AM


It's nearly time for JVC to drop yet another iPod dock-infused HDTV on us at CES 2009 (just a guess, is all), but for those looking for the model first introduced in January 2008, here's a bit of introspective. If you'll recall, we already heard pretty positive things about the 42-inch version of this same set, but AV Revolution took things much, much deeper with its look at the 47-inch LT-47P789. We'll save the details for those who care, but the long and short of it is this: in the case of this particular unit, "neither the TV's performance nor the TeleDock implementation is as good as it could be." That said, the street price of around $1,500 isn't half bad, and while it won't put a smile on the face of a videophile, it should function just fine as an "everyday or second-room TV" for those who can't seem to escape their iPod.

Sony's iPod-lovin' AIR-SA20PK S-AIRPLAY music system reviewed

by Darren Murph posted Nov 26th 2008 at 5:38AM


We'll just cut to the chase: if you've been cautiously eying Sony's S-AIRPLAY system in hopes of it solving your multi-zone audio desires, you'll be sorely disappointed at how it performs in real world use. The AIR-SA20PK showcased just decent audio quality, odd design choices, unintuitive controls and a wireless range that was less-than-stellar. 'Course, the unit was being held to some pretty high standards, but given the $400 sticker, we can understand that. In the end, critics determined that the unit wasn't an outright failure, but for four bills, they'd prefer it to be much easier to use and sound quite a bit better. Good thing you didn't pull the trigger already, huh?

DLO starts shipping HomeDock HD upscaling iPod dock

by Darren Murph posted Nov 24th 2008 at 2:48PM


The port-filled HomeDock HD Pro, which was unveiled back at CEDIA this year, has finally made its way off the production line and into corrugated packaging. For those who can't surmise from the image above, this upscaling iPod dock takes your stored media and pumps it out via HDMI in gorgeous 720p / 1080i, and the RS-232 control port should make it feel right at home in your current setup. $399 makes it yours.

Update: DLO pinged us to say it was the Homedock HD (not Pro) that started shipping. The Pro is due in "early 2009."

Marantz's IS301 wireless iPod dock elegantly cuts the cord

by Darren Murph posted Nov 21st 2008 at 4:19PM


Wireless iPod docks were all the rage back in 2006 (seriously, we remember nerds camping out for them), but the trend sort of petered out as 2007 emerged and focus turned to more important matters. Now, Marantz is looking to bring it all back in style with the IS301, a Lucullan wireless iPod dock that transmits both audio and video sans cabling and includes a port-filled receiver for tight-knit home theater integration. Practically every dock-connecting iPod (no iPhones allowed, at least not officially) will work fine here, and there's also Bluetooth 2.1 support for receiving and beaming tunes from BT-enabled devices. Expect the bundle to storm Japan in January for ¥26,250 ($277), after which we Americans will drop down on bended knee and plead for a US version.

[Via Impress]

Gallery: Marantz's IS301 wireless iPod dock elegantly cuts the cord

Yamaha introduces four mini audio systems, all with iPod docks

by Darren Murph posted Oct 2nd 2008 at 6:03PM


We sure hope you're an iPod owner if you're looking seriously at any one of Yamaha's latest mini audio systems, 'cause every last one of them packs an inbuilt dock front and center. Kicking things off is the MCS-1330, which features 60-watts of amplification, an integrated CD player, two speakers and a few other inputs for non-Appleites. The MCR-330 and MCR-230 only seem to differ in connection type, with both units packing 40 total watts of power and a USB socket. The CRX-430 finishes things off with 50-watts of RMS juice and a built-in CD player. The whole lot should ship by early December and will range in price from around $300 (CRX-430) to $1,233 (MCS-1330).

[Via TechDigest]

Cambridge Audio reveals iPod-lovin' Sonata / Fusion audio systems

by Darren Murph posted Sep 20th 2008 at 8:02AM


Not content with sneaking a dedicated Blu-ray player into CEDIA, Cambridge Audio has just taken the plastic off of two new HiFi systems in Milan. The Sonata, aimed squarely at audio junkies, consists of a 2.1-channel DAB receiver (£299; $547), which offers 40-watts of amplification per channel and your choice of an upscaling 1080p DVD player or a Wolfson-DAC-loaded CD unit for another £179 ($327). The all-in-one Fusion (£300; $549) includes 30-watts per channel, an integrated CD player, DAB / FM tuner, USB port, an SD slot and a customized iPod dock (which is also bundled with the aforementioned Sonata). Both units are slated to hit the UK in silver and black, though the November-bound Fusion will get a jump on the Sonata, which hits in February 2009.




AOL News

Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in:

Joystiq
Download Squad
The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
BloggingStocks
Joystiq Xbox
Autoblog
Big Download
Fanhouse NFL Blog